§ 57. Mr. E. BROWNasked the Minister of Labour if he can state, in calculating the cost of living figure, at what amounts rents in 1914 are taken upon which the percentage of increase is based; and what was the latest percentage of increase applied to such amount?
§ Mr. SHAWIn view of the considerable variations in pre-War working-class rents in different localities and with different types of dwellings, separate percentages of increase are calculated for various pre-War rentals. These percentages are then combined in order to arrive at the average increase, which is at present 47 per cent. I am sending my hon. Friend a copy of the "Ministry of Labour Gazette" for December last, which shows in detail how this figure is obtained.